“I did it just a couple of days ago,” Natalie Portman said of her new blonde hair. “My mom says I’m like a different person.”

Portman debuted her lighter locks this past weekend when she joined her husband, ballet dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied, for the inaugural performance of his L.A. Dance Project at Walt Disney Concert Hall. She reportedly made the change for an upcoming movie role, although she wouldn’t reveal further details.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen Natalie Portman as a blonde — she donned a honey-blonde wig for her 2004 role in “Closer” — and she’s certainly not one to shy away from drastic makeovers. Her most memorable look? A shaved head for her role as Evey in “V for Vendetta.” “I was really excited to get to shave my head — it’s something I’d wanted to do for a while and now I had a good excuse,” Portman told USA Today. “It was nice to shed that level of vanity.”

Thinking of going from brunette to blonde? Here are a few tips to help you make the transition as flawlessly as Natalie Portman:

If you’ve never colored your hair, try lightening in stages. Start with highlights around your face and get used to having lighter hair. If you decide that going blonde isn’t for you, it won’t be too late to turn back.

Determine your natural shade. If you decide to go blonde all at once, like Portman, make sure that you start by going 3-4 shades lighter than your natural shade.

Don’t forget to moisturize! Dying your hair lighter is generally more damaging than dying it darker, so be sure to deep condition regularly.

Be ready for the upkeep. Don’t go all-over blonde unless you have the time and money to go into the salon about once per month. If you’re not ready for that commitment, go for highlights or a more “broken up” blonde.

Love it? Hate it? Tell us what you think of Natalie Portman’s new blonde ‘do.

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Claire Aviles

Claire Aviles is a graduate from Boston College, where she earned a BA in English with minors in Economics and in Music. She is the Marketing Events Coordinator at a software company in Boston and has been contributing to NaturallyCurly for over two years.